Packing and shipping case.



R. A. STLUKA.

PACKING AND SHIPPING CASE.

APPLICATION I'ILBD AUG.1'1, 1911.

Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

\ ATTORNEY.

COLUMBIA ILANOGIAPM cm, WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLPH A. STLUKA, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

PACKING AND SHIPPING CASE' Application filed August 17, 1911.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RUDOLPH A. STLUKA, citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Packing and Shipping Cases, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in packing and shipping cases; and it consists in the novel details of construction more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of the ease with a portion of the wall broken away; Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 1s a longitudinal vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, taken between the meeting edges of the lids of the box; Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig. 2 showing the lids swung to open position; Fig. 5 is a sectional detail on the order of Fig. 4: showing one of the lids closed and the other open; Fig. 6 is a bottom plan of the lids at their meeting edges showing the locking latch for the same; and Fig. 7 is a detail showing an edge View of one of the slotted plates carried by the lids.

The object of my invention is to construct a packing and shipping case for general pur poses, herein illustrated as abeer case, which shall be provided with lids devoid of hinges and whose securing means are all concealed in the case so that they are protected from injury.

A further object is to provide securing means which can subserve no useful purpose apart from the case or box thus discouraging their removal from the case by unscrupulous persons who, in the case of hinged lids usually remove the hinges for private use.

A further object is to construct a case which shall be strong, cheap, and durable and possess further and other advantages better apparent from a detailed description of the invention which is as follows Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a (preferably) oblong box or case provided with bottom compartments a for holding bottles I), the several compartments being formed by a series of intersecting walls 2, 2, the terminals of the upper edges of the transverse series of said Walls being re- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

Serial No. 644,494.

eessed, the several recesses 1' thus formed being designed to receive the lower edges of the lids when the latter have been swung open and depressed into the box as more fully hereinafter to appear. Disposed on the inner faces of two opposing walls (the end walls) of the box are inverted U-shaped reinforcing frames comprising each an upper horizontal (preferably) wood member at, and side metal members n, there bein a hand-hole 0 in the box-wall immediately lieneath the member m. At the upper corners of each frame m, n, is a pin, stud or screw 3 the stem of which passes loosely through the longitudinal slot 4 of a slide or plate 5 secured at opposite ends to the under sides of the tilting lids 6, 6, the plates being secured by screws passed through lugs or cars 7 cast with each plate (Fig. 7). As best seen in Fig. 2, the outer ends of the slots 4 of the respective slides or plates 5 are somewhat curved upwardly for a closed position of the lids. At the center of each member m is a pin, screw or keeper 3 for locking one of the lids as presently to be seen. The inner terminal of the plate 5 carried by the lid 6' is provided with a locking hook 8 (Fig. 4) toward which the edge of the plate leads in a gentle slop ing curve, this arrangement permitting suflicient movement of the lid 6 to bring the hook past the keeper 3, after which the lid may be shoved up against the side wall of the box when the keeper will be well inside the hook and the lid locked, (Fig. 5, full and dotted positions of the lid 6').

At a convenient point along the meeting edges of the lids 6, 6, and on the inner faces of the lids are plates t, t, the plate t being on the lid 6, and the plate 6 on the lid 6. Secured at one end in any mechanical mannor to the plate t is a wire spring latch 9 having an intermediate bend (l, which, for a locking position extends across the joint or plane of division between the lids (Fig. 6) and bears against the under surface of the lid 6, thus locking the lids in such a way that neither can be swung to open position. The free end of the wire 9 terminates in a loop 10 which is accessible from the outside of the box through a finger opening H, in the lid 6, (Fig. l) the wire 9 being yielding and resilient both in a vertical as well as a horizontal plane. When the lids are closed and locked, the portion of the Wire 9 beyond the bend d is in front of a lip or keeper 11 secured to and projecting from the platen By depressing the loop 10 from the outside and at the same time pushing it so as to bring the wire latch 9 behind the keeper l1 (dotted position Fig. 6) the latter will hold the latch retracted or disengaged so as to bring the bend d inside the lid 6, leaving the lid 6 free to be opened. It may be stated in passing that when the lids are closed and the latch 9 left to spring to a locked position (Fig. 6), a wire or tie 12 is passed through the loop 10 and the opening H, and through a perforation h in the lid 6 and its ends twisted, whereby the latch 9 is safeguarded against accidental displacement when the case is being shipped, and there is conse quently no danger of the lids 6, 6, becoming unlocked.

The operation may be described as follows :-Assuming the lids of the case are down and lockedv and tied as described (Fig. 1) when the case reaches a customer or consignee, to open the case the consignee clips the wire 12, and by a gentle downward and out-ward lateral pressure on the loop 10 he brings the spring latch 9 behind the lip or keeper 11 (the degree of downward pressure on the latch being of course, suflicient to allow it to pass the keeper 11 before it is shoved to a point behind the latter) when by releasing the latch the latter settles into position behind the keeper (dotted position Fig. 6). The lid 6 is now free to open. It will be seen (Figs. 2, 4) that said lid is free to oscillate about an axis passing through the pair of pins or screws 3 adjacent the side wall of the case, this axis being removed a suitable distance from said side wall, that portion of the lid between said axis and side wall forming a short lever arm for the lid, the long arm of said lever being the bulk of the lid between said axis and the inner edge of the lid. By now pressing on that portion of the lid corresponding to the short lever arm aforesaid, the lid will swing upward about its axis (Figs. 4, 5),and when it has assumed a vertical position it can be allowed to slide and drop down alongside the adjacent side wall of the case until it settles into the notches or recesses 1 provided for its reception. By now exerting a slight horizontal pull on the lid 6' the hooks S can be disengaged from the keepers 3 (Fig. 5) after which the said lid 6 can be swung upward about a corresponding axis of oscillation (Fig. 4:) when this lid can likel (dotted position Fig. 4).

wise.. lo,e -dropped down into the recesses 1". The parts are so proportioned that when both'lids 6,6, are depressed into the recesses 7', their upper edges will be substantially even with the upper edges of the case Obviously, the slotted plates 5, 5, through which the pins or stems of the screws 3 freely play allow for the combined oscillating and sliding movement of the lids 6, 6, as described, the outer terminal slightly curved portions of the slots 4, 4, preventing any binding in starting the lids in their first opening movement. T 0 look the box, the lids are pulled out, then dropped, (the hooks 8 of the lid 6 being first brought into engagement with their keepers 3), the latch 9 is released so as to bring its bend d across the plane of division between the lids, a new tie or wire 12 is inserted through the loop 10, opening H and perforation h and the case is ready for shipment.

It will be seen that none of the operating parts are exposed there are no hinges to break, and none to be stripped from the case by unscrupulous persons.

A case of this character has a long life as there are no parts to get out of order. WVhen the lids 6, 6, are closed, they rest with their opposite ends on the strips or ledges m, m, as shown in Fig. 3.

Having described my invention, what I claim is In combination with a case having an open top and four vertical walls, a pair of lids, interiorly projecting studs on two opposit-e walls disposed on axes removed a distance from the contiguous walls, plates on the lids provided with elongated slots for the play of the studs therethrough, the outer ends of the slots inclining toward the lids, the inner terminals of the plates on one lid being provided with locking hooks, merging with the edge of the plate along a sloping curve, ledges on the case walls for supporting the lids in their closed position, and keepers on said ledges for engaging the hooks on the plates, the free edges of the lids coming in contiguous relation for a closed position of the lids.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

RUDOLPH A. STLUKA.

Witnesses EMIL STAREK, J 0s. A. MIQI-IEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

